"Thanks for your hospitality, that was the best meal I've had in a long - Oh! Hi there!"Gavin was just leaving a small cottage where he had slept that night and breakfasted when he ran into soldiers, dressed in red and black.

" 'Prince' Jarius was deposed, in favor of her majesty. Now will you please SHUT UP?"

The mage was confused, but he listened to what they had to say.

"By order of her majesty the queen, you are to hand over all weapons to our hands. This includes: swords, bows and arrows, spears, javelins, knives, slings, mattocks, axes, hatchets, saws, pitchforks, etc., etc."

The farmer, his wife, and Gavin were shocked.

"Everything. NOW." The soldiers demanded.

In a few minutes, everything was in a heap at the soldiers' feet.

"And that," pointing to Gavin's staff.

"This? Oh, but -"

"NOW."

Gavin decided it was best not to argue. He handed it slowly, reluctantly.The soldier snatched it out of his hand, broke it and tossed it into the pile carelessly. Gavin's anger was about to boil over, but he managed to keep it in check, and keep a simple smile on his face.

The soldiers dumped everything into the farmer's wagon. The farmer's wife burst into tears and turned toward the door. The soldiers laughed evilly and left the farmyard taking the wagon with them, leaving the farmer and his wife without tools, a wagon, or anything. They were left destitute.